Process and appliance for fermenting sacchariferous liquids



E. sTlcH 1,792,450

PROCESS AND APPLIANCE FOR FERMENTING SACCHARIFEROUS LIQUIDS Feb. 10, 1931.

med sept. 2s, 1929 nventbr E ugenlich Y Patented lFeb. 10, 1931 PATENT OFFICE .EUGN STICH, OF MANNHEIM, GERMANY rnocnss AND APrLrANCEFoR 'FERMENTING sAccHARrFERoUs LIQUIDS Application. led September 23, 1929, Serial No. 394,659, and in Germany October 24, 1 927.

My invention has for its object a process -and an appliance for ffermenting sacchariferous liquids, thetechnical and economical effect obtained by the invention consisting in 5 an increaseof the'outputof yeast and spirit, in a" i'iotable'reduction of the consumption of power and time required' for carrying out the fermentation process, and inthe fact that any infection ofthe liquid to be fermented is l0 prevented. v

Accordingl the conditions nowadays pre-c.

vailing in the art 80 to 100 cbm. ofair are re quired for l cbm. of mash per hour. lVith the normal' dimensions of, the usual tubs lhav- 1'5v ing a capacity of lOO'to `150 cbm., this corresponds to an amount of air varying between 10.000 to 15,000 cbm. of air. The perception that this'large amount-of` air yis due to the insuficicnt utilization and distribution of the air has already led to the employment of po- .rouslclay floors or finelyperforated rubber. plates, to.- obtain a better decomposition and.

. more uniform distribution of the air. It has been found, however, in practice that these distributingy means form infection centers and the' desired degree of fineness of the decompositionof the air'anda A,uniform distribution thereof has not been attained.. g

ing diaphragm plates ofthe 'typeusedfor electrolytc purposeswhich plates have pores of a diameter of 0.1 6 top. V,Diaphiagmplates of,t l1is pore diameter-cause vthe finest'possible dust-like Adistribution oftheaiiumFurther, theydoj notbecomeslimyeven in long service and remain free of vany infection.

..1 have further, found 'tliat "`diaphragm 10" plates rof this typeW-lien ofathiclmess required in `practice offer a too lgreata resistf ance to the passagev of theair. Consequently I subdivide the diaphragm platess'o as to formtwo layers the upper layer vwhich Ais in.

' immediate contact with the liquid to .be .fermented Lhaving pores of the above very-line diameter ,Whilst` the lower Ylayer has greater pores. These plates are made of a. sufficient.

thickness, more particularly those forming 110V the coarser layer, so that the lower layer possesses a fary lower resistance to the passage of the air Whilst at the same time the desired security against infection is'attained as Well as the abovementioned very fine distribution of the air.

My tests have proved'that With a tenth of the quantity of air hitherto required milch higher outputs of spirit ,and yeast are obtained'. :This result is obtained also by employingin those fermentation processes by `Which-both spiritand yeast' are gained simultaneously and -vvhich therefore require little'loxyge'n only, radiation pipes having elastic envelopes e. g. of rubber, in place of the described plates.A I provide the rubber envelopes on their upper side with fine pricks made by means of needles which pricks open only under the air pressure so as t'o act as valves which on the one hand results in the formation rof very fine air `bubbles and on the other hand protects the system of radiation pipes from any entrance ofthe mash thereabove when the air supply has` been cutoff. Furthermore, I attain according to my invention. a further reduction of the air consumption by subdividing intoseveral 'small' tubs -the verybig tubs hitherto used and form- I Lhave foimdbyfexhaustive. tests that they above advantageous conditionsy can be .obtained Without any disadvantage by employing one `sole container, ,I determine further this subdivision orvthe capacity of the part S0 tubs so vas 'to correspond to the propagation of the yeast and to thev supply ofn'utritious solution. required 'therefonin equal periods, of time. y I attain by this `arrangement that` thepfermented mash can begjdra'wn off from the last part tub" at'lshort intervals of 4,time which correspond t'o the number of the part tubs. So for instance, when drawingoif the mash hourly,` 60 percent of tub volume can be saved so that in .place of one`- tub of a capacity of v cbm. the content of' 'which is fermented twice 24 hours, a system of vpart tubs of,` a total capacity of 40 cbm.4

can beemployed. To easily convey the mash from the one part tubl to the other, I'have 5 found the production of a. vacuum to be of particular advantage. i This vacuum is fur'- ther used to cause a ventilation of the tubs. I attain a very satisfactory uniform ventilation of the entire floor of each part tub by subdividing .the air feeding floor by means of the above diaphragm plates into individual compartments which are air-tightly shut off from one another, the air supply to these compartments being controlled by regulating valves. To allow for eventual leakage of the floors, I connect the lower ends of the pipes supplying air to the individual compar'tments of the air feeding floors to a collector from which the leakage mash is led to the tubs.

In order that my invention can be more easily understood as to both its general arrangement and details, a preferred embodiment of the same is illustrated byl way of example in the drawing which accompanies and forms part of the present specification. In thisdrawing Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a fermentation plant designedaccording to my invention, whilst Figures 2 to4 show details thereof in section and on an enlarged scale.

Referring to these figures, a is a tank in which are lodged four part tubs g1, g2, g3, g4 separated-from one another by partitions a1. 'v denotes a Vvacuum vessel which is connected to a suitable vacuum pump by a pipe p. Through a common pipe Z1 and branches Z11, Z12, Z13, Z1t the vacuum vessel v communicates with the individual part tubs. these branch pipes is provided a valve m. The part tubs are connected by separate pipes b1 to b* to a vessel (not shown) which contains a nutritious solution and are fitted further with cocks or valves Z211 to b1. Each of the part tubs g1 to g* is connected to the neighboring one by a pipe a1, a valve a11 i being provided in each of these pipes.

On the-bottom of each part tub is provided the above-mentioned air feeding Hoor 01 to 0*. These floors consist of simple diaphragm plates It having a pore 'diameter of 0.]5 to 6a and are arranged at a certain distance from the bottom z2 of the tank a, or better of compound plates h1, .h2 as shown in Figure 3, the pores of the upper layer h1 have the above set forth small diameter Vwhile the lower layer h2 has pores of larger diameter.

Vhen using tubs of large sizetliey are equipped with air feeding floors composed of individual diaphragm elements supported by ribs a3, see Figure 3, of the bottom a? of the tank and sepa-rated from one another water-tightly by cross bars z' and fastening screws 1. Branch pipes @Z1 open into the individual airfeeding floors and their compartments which branch pipes by separate pipes Z2 that comprise valves are in connection with an air vessel (not shown) wherein atmospheric pressure or pressure below atmosphericprevails. All branch pipes Z2 are connected to a collecting pipe d which leads the dropping liquid collected in the individual air feeding floors and their compartments In each of through a branch pipe e1 to a collecting ves-v sel e. From the latter this liquid is conveyed to one of the part tubs, e. g. to tub g3 of the embodiment shown, by an ascension pipe e2.

The fermentation process takes place in the following manner:

ThroughI pipe b1 tub g1 is filled first while valve b11 is closed and the suction pipe Z11 is open. After the fermentation' has taken place within about 1 to 1% hours, the whole content of tub g1 is conveyed to tub g2 through the respective pipe a1 by connecting the branch pipe Z12 to the suction pipe Z1, Whereupon tub g1 is filled anew through pipe b1 with nutritious solution and starting yeast. In tub g1 then takes place the propagation of the first yeast by double its quantity and the whole content of tub g1 is then conveyed in the described manner to tub g3 through pipe a1. about 1% hours. Thereupon the content of tub g3 is conveyed to tub g1 through pipe a1 while suction pipe Z14 is open, the liquid ripen ing now in tub g1 a small quantity of nutritious solution being added to this end. This ripening stage lasts likewise about 11/2 hour. After the content of tub g'1 has been drawn olf into a collecting vessel (not shown) through ya drain pipe s, tub 1 is refilled with the fermented content of'tu g1 and so on, so that the entire operation constitutes a. continuous fermentation process.- When the content of the collecting vessel-e should lbe raised to tub g3, branch pipe e1 is shut oil' from the collecting pipe d and valve s1 is opened so that the liquid is pressed through ascension pipe e2 by the" pressure of the outer` air into tub g1 wherein pressure below atmospheric prevails.

In place of the diaphragm plates described radiation pipes f', see Figure 4, may be arranged in each part tub which pi es are enclosed in rubber hoses t and on tieir upper side a'e provided with openings r1. The rubber envelopes tion their upper side possess fine holes t1 applied by means of needles or the like. Y 4

By the introduction of the very fine air bubbles in the liquid the latter very soon is converted tofroth that in its turn consists of very fine bubbles, a further supply 0f air to this frothy liquid thus being necessary only to a very slight extent or only from time to time. 'The yeast will grow particularly quickly and powerfully within the pellicles of the froth bubbles as it always has at its disposal the oxygen required forits growth. This phenomenon leads to another modification of my invention namely to convert fermenting'liquid to froth of fine bubbles by supplying very line .air bubbles, in which froth the yeast then grows without any notable further supply of air. Furthermore, if required, froth-forming and froth-maintainin substances such as glucoside, saponine or t e like In tub g3 the yeast doubles again Within' may be added to the liquid. A slight supply of air will `be required only to further maintain the froth and to\separate the carbonio acid formed by the fermentation.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In fermenting sacchariferous liquids feeding air thereto through diaphragm plates vhaving a pore diameter of 0.16 -to 6; whereby infection of the liquid is prevented.

2. In fermenting sacchariferous liquids, feeding air thereto through diaphragm plates formed by two superposed layers, the upper one of which is in contact with the liquid While the lower layer forms a fore-layer, said upper layer having pores of a diameter of 0.16 to 6,1, `while the lower layer has pores of larger diameter.

In fermenting sacchariferous liquids, feeding air thereto in a finely distributed state through diaphragm plates" having a pore diameter of.0.16 to 6a at ysuch a rate that the liquid becomes frothy.

4. In fermenting sacchariferous liquids,-

feeding air thereto in a finely distributed state through diaphragm plates having a pore diameter not exceeding 6a, so that the entire liquid is converted to froth, reducing the supply of air so that the froth again becomes liquid, and converting the latter' anew to froth.

5. In fermenting sacchariferous liqulds, feeding air thereto in a finely distributed state through' diaphragm plates having pores npt excee ing in diameter 6a, whereby the liquid. is converted to froth, and adding thereto material for favoring the formation of froth.

6: A fermentation plant comprising a fermenting tub the bottom of which consists of diaphragm plates of a material as usedin electrolytic cells, and means for feeding to and draining from said tub the liquid to be fermented. I

7. A fermentation plantcomprising afermenting tub the bottom of which consists of two superposed layers of diaphragm plates of Vamaterial as used in electrolytic cells, the upper layer being in Contact with the liquid to be fermented and having a pore diameter not exceeding 6p., whilst the lower layer has pores of larger diameter. i

8. A fermentation plant comprisinga plurality of closed fermenting tubs, a floo'r ai'-,

ranged in each of said tubs at a distance from the bottom thereof and consisting of dilaspace existing between the bottom and floor of said tubs, suction pipes leading away from said tubs above the liquid therein, fresh air consecutlvely convey the liquid from one to the next tub, and a means vfor producing vacuum connected to said suction pipes.'

9. A fermentation plant comprising a plu-- rality of closed fermenting tubs consecutively 'increasing in volulne, a floor arranged in each of said tubs at a distance from *thA bottom thereof and consisting of diaphragm plates having a pore diameter not exceedingl space, means for conveying the liquid drained by said latter pipes to one of said tubs,.suc tionrpipes leading away from said tubs above the liquid therein, means for producing a vacuum connected to said suction pipes, valvefitted fresh airfeeding pipes opening into said tubs above the liquid therein, pipes for feeding liquid to be fermentedto said tubs` and pipes .connecting each two subsequent ones of said tubs and adapted to consecutively1 convey the liquid from one to the next tub.

10. A fermentation plant comprising a plurality of closed fermentiing tubs consecu` tively increasing in v olume, perforated radiation pi'pes'arrangedl on the bottom of said tubs, elastic envelopes on said radiation pipes having fine holes, means for feeding air to said'pipes, means for producing a vacuum in saidtubs above the liquid to be fermented therein, valve-fitted pipes connecting each two subsequent ones of saidtubs and adapted to consecutively convey the liquid from one to the next tub, and means for' feeding liquid to the individual tubs.

11. A fermentation tub having an air feeding floor composed of a plurality of diaphragm plates of a pore diameter not exceeding6a and arranged at a distance-from the bottom of said tub so as to form with sai'd bottom a distributing chamber for the air to be fed, ribs on said bottom supporting said plates, and means for water-tightly fixving said plates on saidribs and for watertightly separating them from one another.

12. A fermentation tub having an air feeding floor composed of a plurality of diaphragm plates of a pore diameter not exceeding 6,11. and arranged at a distancefrom the bottom of said tub so as to form with said bottom a distributing chamber for the air to be fed, means for feeding air -to said chamber, ribs on said bottom supporting said plates, and means for water-tightly fixing said plateson said ribs and for water-tightly f h phragm plates having .a pore' diameter not /Sepamtmg them rom one anot er exceeding 6a, air feeding pipes leading to the 1 13. As a new article of manufacture, a fermentation system having a diaphragm plate intended to be used for feeding air to sacchariferous liquids to be fermented and consisting of porous material meter of 0.16 to6a.

14. As a new article of manufacture, a fermentation system having a diaphragm plate intended to be used for yfeeding air to sachav'ing a pore dia- Ilao iso

chariferous liquids to be fermented, and consisting of a material as used in electrolytic cells and having a pore diameter of 0.16 to 6p. p 15. As a new article of manufacture, a fer.-

5 mentation system having a diaphragm plate intended to be used for feeding air to sacchariferous liquids to be fermented, and consisting of two layers of porous material one of which has a pore diameter of 0.16 to 6a m' while the other layer has pores of larger diameter.

16. In fermenting sacchariferous liquids, the steps of subdividing the liquid into a plurality of separate quantities corresponding in volume to the propagation of yeast desired and the supply of nutritious solution required therefor in determined equal periods of time, feeding air into each quantity simultaneously through diaphragm plates having pores not o0 exceeding in diameter 6;i,'and withdrawing and replacing each quantity of liquid so as to keep the Volume constant.

v17. In fermenting sacchariferous liquids, the steps of subdividing the liquid into a plu- 25 rality of separate quantities corresponding in Volume to the propagation of yeast desired and the supply of nutritious solution required therefor in determined equal periods of time, feeding air into each quantity simultaneously through diaphragm plates having pores not exceeding in diameter 6p, and withdrawing and replacing by a vacuum effect each quantity of liquid so as to keep the volume constant.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

EUGEN STICH. 

